Streaming Live Cinematic Multicam with Wide-Close x ARRI Technology
LOS ANGELES - In 2019, I teamed up with Ryley Fogg, the Eastside Camera Rental owner, to establish Wide+Close. We combined ARRI Cinema cameras with DTS fiber conversion systems, shattering TV broadcast boundaries. That risky, pioneering move set the stage for our venture.
Over the years, Ryley and I have collaborated on documentaries, commercials, and live music projects for a decade. Inspired by our Live-to-Tape productions success, we decided to pivot into the Live-Live arena. And so, Wide+Close was born, dedicated to revolutionizing live performances visualization. We transformed livestream production from mere coverage to an artistic, cinematic interpretation of music, focusing on aesthetic aspects like image quality, color, and composition. We refer to this creative approach as "Live Cinema."
Live Cinema with ARRILive Cinema blends the filmmaking world's craftsmanship with streaming technology. We believe that Live Cinema bridges the gap between in-person concert experiences and viewing at home. However, achieving this vision necessitates a shift in mindset.
Our choice of ARRI stems from its unparalleled film-imaging pedigree. Coachella has served as our playground, allowing us to fine-tune our approach and leverage ARRI camera, lens, and stabilization systems to their fullest potential.
Our major leap forward has been recognizing that technology is no longer an obstacle but a tool. Each year, we've adopted new advancements: wireless technology, real-time live color grading, and IP-connected multicamera workflows. This technological progress enables us to concentrate on innovation and creativity, rather than just keeping the technology running.
The once-tanglesome marriage of cinema and broadcast is now unified. Traditional broadcast components like graphics, transmission, and encoding have been seamlessly absorbed into our cinematic live workflow. Our truck, formerly serving as a simple broadcast vehicle, is now a creative hub designed for live music and cinema.
When we first started, we began with two stacked 40x40 routers. Over time, we've upgraded to 80x80, and now run two stacked 120x120 routers, offering 240 I/O capable of handling two stages and up to 40 cameras. This progress allows us to support large-scale productions with artists who demand up to 24 cameras per performance.
ALEXA 35 SystemIn 2025, we're incorporating ARRI's innovative ALEXA 35 system into Coachella's Main Stage. This camera boasts remarkable improvements in dynamic range and highlight retention, outdoing even the Sony Venice. The ALEXA 35 offers a cinematic feel unmatched by any camera we've worked with before. Moreover, we're expanding our stabilized remote systems, including TRINITY and SRH-360 EVOs.
We're particularly enthused by the dynamic range improvements, especially in highlight retention. Unlike other cameras, the ALEXA 35 doesn't merely avoid clipping; it preserves detail in the brightest areas better, delivering a smoother highlight roll-off.
With the ALEXA 35, we can now craft custom images at the highest level, rivaling high-end feature films or major half-time shows. The harmony between our workflow and technology allows us to concentrate on what truly matters: the art of live performances.
Our 2025 setup excites me, not just because of the technology, but because the entire field is now connected via IP. This connectivity allows us to communicate with every single camera system and make real-time creative adjustments to the look of a show.
We are no longer just tweaking iris and exposure settings; we're live color grading and sculpting images in real time, on par with massive production crews in cinema.
This fusion of broadcast and film delivers a seamless workflow that empowers directors and artists to focus solely on creativity.
- The IP-connected multicamera workflows that we adopted have enabled us to focus on innovation and creativity, rather than just maintaining technology.
- Our infrastructure, once a simple broadcast vehicle, has evolved into a creative hub designed for live music and cinema.
- The ALEXA 35 system, which we plan to incorporate into Coachella's Main Stage in 2025, features remarkable improvements in dynamic range and highlight retention, outperforming even the Sony Venice.
- Data-and-cloud-computing technology has bridged the gap between in-person concert experiences and watching at home, with our approach known as "Live Cinema."
- In collaborating with Ryley Fogg, the Eastside Camera Rental owner, we combined ARRI Cinema cameras with DTS fiber conversion systems, revolutionizing TV broadcast boundaries.
- Streaming technology, when blended with filmmaking craftsmanship, has transformed live performances visualization, focusing on aesthetic aspects like image quality, color, and composition.
